The problem of providing access in confined spaces for efficient machining and assembly purposes has long existed. Often engineers must re-design all or part of a project due to lack of access for manufacturing or installation. Most hand wrenches or ratchets must be swung in an arc, which motion may be limited or impossible due to obstructions around the item or items being assembled, installed or removed. In the machining art, many parts often must be set up and machined more than one time so that the machine tool or tools have access to the area being machined.
Pneumatic and electric power tools include an attached hose, cord or battery all of which can be heavy and inconvenient. These tools also usually require straight-in access into cavities and other recessed and remote locations. These requirements make the tools inconvenient, expensive and sometimes impossible to use for certain applications. The known tools typically do not function so as to transfer power or torque around corners or form compound angles without some type of additional adaptor or knuckle-type component which can be cumbersome and bind when loaded. The known adaptor and knuckle-type components are also typically limited to producing a maximum 30 degree angle to the original drive source because of the binding problem of their components.
Known prior art flexible drives have lacked any significant commercial success due to many reasons including high manufacturing costs, complexity and inability to extend or transfer rotational power around corners well enough to justify the expense of the drives to customers.
The known prior art flexible drive devices suffer variously from the following disadvantages as presented below.
Disadvantages Index                A. Can be used as a power transfer device only, cannot function independently.        B. Lack the ability to function adjustably around corners.        C. Contain additional parts to maintain chain tightness.        D. Contain no provision for machine applications.        E. Are complex and expensive to manufacture.        F. Need an exterior ratchet mechanism to operate.        G. Do not provide an economical means of adjustable compound angle operation.        H. Housings do not provide a self-locking mechanism for assembly.        I. Do not provide a mechanical advantage.        J. Do not provide an economical means for adding a power source.        K. Must be mounted onto another tool for operation.        L. Flexible drive mechanism is exposed during operation will accumulate dirt and become entangled with other objects.        M. Exposed drive mechanism may pinch or otherwise injure operator during use.        N. Do not contain internal square drives for multiple function use.        O. Do not contain a ratchet-enabling switch.        P. Ratchet switch is not located on operator end.        Q. Ratchet switch does not provide a neutral position for use.        R. Do not specify die casting or injection molding for precise and economical manufacture of parts.        S. Lack any significant commercial success.        T. Multiple tools cannot be securely connected at adjustable angles and compound angles for operation.        U. Cannot be used as a torque transfer device.        V. Do not specify safety enhancing materials for manufacture.        W. Cannot provide rotary motion through the adjustable angle connection point between tools.        
As explained below the novel Advanced Tool Systems of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art set forth above.